Are Liquid Calories More Effective Than Solid Food For Muscle Growth?

Many who pursue bodybuilding are in need of convenient and portable methods of calorie consumption, and liquid protein and carbohydrate sources are therefore a popular option for bodybuilders who are attempting to ingest a constant stream of nutrients for muscle recovery and growth. Most bodybuilders are aware of the fact that using smaller, more frequent meals enhances metabolic rate, which in turn will improve muscle gain and fat loss results, but such a meal structure requires more time, and for most bodybuilders, liquid calories become the popular choice. Some, realizing that liquid meals digest quicker than solid food, aim to consume the majority of their daily meals in liquid form, and this method is frequently embraced by those who follow very tight schedules.

Because of this, some bodybuilders consume the majority of their calories from liquid sources and feel as if there is no downside towards either muscle building or fat loss when doing so, and, with the time savings that liquid meals provide, many quickly embrace such a tactic without trepidation. Yet, often the nutrients that are used in constructing liquid meals are either harmful to health (artificial sweeteners and additives in most meal replacement powders, as an example), or focus upon simple carb foods, which are perfectly acceptable as part of meals that occur before or after a weight lifting workout session, but can encourage blood sugar to either prevent body fat loss in those who are overweight, or encourage stored fat increase in bodybuilders who are pursuing muscle growth.

This potentially negative impact on body fat levels can be thwarted by focusing on liquid sources during workout meals (those that surround a weight lifting workout), while aiming for mostly solid foods using complex carbohydrate sources during other meals of the day. Some may have very busy schedules that do not allow for solid meals more than two times per day, and in such a scenario, using three liquid meals is acceptable when focusing upon egg based protein powders that are free from artificial sweetening or additives (to avoid negative health ramifications of such ingredients), and timing the liquid meals correctly, which, ideally, involves one of those liquid meals before your weight lifting workout session, and another following your weight lifting session, with the third scheduled for the earlier hours of the day (as although using simple carbohydrates at times other than before or after a weight lifting workout session is not the perfect scenario, when the need arises, such a meal should preferably occur before the evening hours to reduce adverse impact upon body fat levels).

There are also easy to consume complex carbohydrate choices that can be used in lieu of simple carbs to create a very convenient meal for times when you will not be performing a weight lifting workout, but most who create liquid meals for themselves do not consider such options. But the most effective path for those who wish to avoid simple carbohydrates during non-workout meals is to transport an unsweetened egg based powder with water for protein, and use fat instead of carbohydrates as an energy source, with healthy omega foods such as olive oil, hemp seeds and walnuts, all of which are very dense in terms of their energy value, providing an easy to consume and tasty alternative to carbs for any non-workout meal where portability and convenience is essential.

Lastly, using liquid calories for a vast majority of daily calorie consumption can adversely impact digestive health, so to allow your organs to operate as God intended, make sure to schedule at least two solid feedings daily, which should not be impossible considering most have time to at least consume two of the main meals (breakfast, lunch or dinner) in a controlled environment (at home, in a restaurant or cafeteria, or at least with sufficient time to finish a solid meal).

Unlike some may believe, bodybuilding need not become an unreasonable chore, as there are many foods that allow bodybuilders to produce maximum muscle building and fat loss while leading a normal lifestyle, even when working a demanding job, but doing so requires properly timing simple carb meals to ensure body fat stabilization, while using healthy omega fats and specific complex carbohydrates as alternatives to simple sources during meals where convenience is needed so that results remain consistent and dramatic.